Reyn breathes out in relief as we arrive at the abandoned Machina residence where we decided to stay the night. "You guys underestimate how heavy she is now," he says, looking at his shoulder, over which Fiora was slung. She had suddenly become very tired, and he eagerly volunteered to carry her. "Fiora?" he says. She doesn't make a sound, nor does she open her eyes.
Reyn walks upstairs, and I follow. There are a few rooms; he peeks into the closest and, upon seeing a bed, walks in. He sets her down tenderly, gently. He's a little reluctant to do so, but after tucking Fiora in, he starts stroking her hair with his monstrous hand. It looks kind of funny, really, and it makes me notice how frail she's been looking recently. It's not right. The Fiora I knew was strong and full of life, and this Fiora, well, she's just different. Not just because she's a Mechon, but she shares her body with Meyneth, too.
Reyn breathes in and nearly chokes. Startled, I look away from Fiora's face to see that his eyes are watering. "It ain't fair."
"I know."
"I can't even remember what it was like before all this happened anymore."
He's right. It feels like the time we spent together with Fiora when she was still a Homs was ages ago. "We should be happy she's alive."
"I am happy. But it still ain't fair."
"Listen, Reyn. Fiora told me that Meyneth protected her while she wasn't herself. She's glad to share her body with Meyneth. It's a good thing."
"Ya' mean she doesn't mind it? Or bein' a Mechon?"
"I think she'd rather be alive like this. If she were still gone, she wouldn't get to see us."
He withdraws his hand from her hair and looks at her sadly. I can tell that he's trying hard not to cry.
"Shulk. I need us to do something. It'll make me feel better."
"What's that?"
"You remember when we were kids, how we all used to sleep together in one bed at Dunban's 'cause there were only two beds?"
"Yeah."
"I wanna do it again. Right here, right now. It is a pretty big bed. I betcha we could do it."
"Uh, we could, but the question is whether we should—I don't wanna crush Fiora or anything, or have the bed sink in 'cause of our weight."
Reyn inspects the bed, pushing on it and checking underneath of it. "It's fine. If it's got room enough for me on it, we're good." He leans down to Fiora's ear and whispers, "Hey. Wake up."
She yawns. "What?"
"We're gonna have a sleepover with you. In the same bed. Now move over. I gotta get in."
Fiora moves over to the wall, and Reyn climbs in next to her. "Just enough room for one more." I take off my shoes and slip under the covers, throwing my arm over Reyn's body. He's warm like always, and when Fiora grabs her hand in mine, it's ice-cold. "You guys are right freezin'," Reyn mumbles into the pillow. "Your arm's like an ice block, Fiora."
"I am a Mechon, you know," she teases; she presses her forehead into his shoulder blade. He wraps his other arm around me and turns onto his back as best he can manage. A few minutes pass in near-silence; the only sound is Dunban singing to himself downstairs, just like when we were kids sleeping over at his place. Comforted by Reyn's warmth, Fiora's touch, and Dunban's voice, I've almost fallen asleep when I hear Reyn: "This is the happiest I've been in weeks."
I smile. "Feeling better now?"
"'Course I am. I got my two best friends in the world right here with me."
"Everything is as it should be," Fiora says. "I missed this."
"We missed you, too," I say, squeezing her hand. As we begin to drift off, I see Dunban standing in the doorway just out of the corner of my eye. I watch him smile, then the door and my eyes close. It turns out to be the best night's sleep I've had in months.